What I would do for a friend
by Madman and Narico
Summary: Madman is AGAIN in trouble and this time it's Nightscreams job to help


**What I Would Do For A Friend  
**By Jason Cohen and Fire Byrd  


  
The recovery of Madman from the horror of Waspinator's arms had been almost too much on young bat bot. So far Madman had been the only friend he'd had since he came to earth. Not to mention she was the only one that seemed to believe in him. He knew he could fight and just maybe gain back his honor.   
Optimus had ordered him boarded to base at all times, sure during an attack on the base he was the first one there. But what the Preds did outside of the base, he could not help, other then man the radio.   
Madman had been taking his punishment harder then he was. And at this time, she was trying to get it lifted.   
"Opitmus ya don't understand. On the streets with the first sign of trouble you leave, no matter who is left behind. It's survival of the fittest, and the fittest are the ones that can out run everyone else," she explained to the leader of the Maximals.   
"Madman, this is NOT the streets of Cybertron, Nightscream has to learn to stand and fight the battles."  
"But, if you don't let him out of base, then he can't learn to fight. And ya know it. Give him a few more days with me. A full scouting job, and I'll teach him how to stand and fight, maybe even more. Plus send Cheetor with us, if you can spare him. And when we come a knocking on the door you'll see a whole new Nightscream." She walked out very pleased with her self. She walked in to the control room to give her orders for the day.  
"Kid, we're leaving on a scouting job. Spots, ya with us too. Let's get a move on." She told Nightscream and Cheetor and she got what she needed for the long trip ahead.  
"What's the rush Mutt? Off to find a lost bone of yours and need help doing it?" Asked the rat-like Narico. Normally Madman and him where like siblings kidding each other around but today was no normal day, and was not the day to push her buttons.   
"It's none of your business Long nose, the big boss wants us to do some classified scouting. And that's all I am letting on too. Got it?" The questioning stop and they were allowed to leave in peace.   
Once out side she turned to her charges.   
"Nightscream, I want ya to fly a head and scout a place for the night. We'll catch up soon. Well, What are ya waiting for? Go."  
He left without saying a word, it was so wonderful being able to use his wings, how could Optimus not allow him the use of them? But that's right, all the other bots hated him for leaving Madman while she was down. Well, not all the other bots, there was Madman.   
What he did now know was that his best friend was planing his death.  
"We let our selves get what!" Asked Cheetor, like he did not like the plan.  
"It's rather simple Kitty, we let our selves get taken by the Preds. I know I don't like it either. But it's the only so that Nightscream will put into action what I have taught him."  
"But why should he be given another chance? After he left you there to die."  
"Listen here Kitty, don't talk about something ya don't know about. He did what he knew to do. Run. Not it's time to make him learn a new way. I had Rhinox and Long Nose hack in to his pod and get me his weapons capabilities. Along the way to the Pred base we can set up things to make sure he's ready." He knew she was right, and without anymore arguing they left.   


**Narico  
  
**

Back in my quarters, I was pacing back and forth, with a lot on my mind. Had my insults gone too far with Madman? Was she just feeling a little wired today? Was there anything I could do about it? I decided to take my mind off of it by talking to Optimus.  
"Hey Optimus, is there anything you need me to do? I have to get my mind off of something." I asked  
"Well if you really want to, you and Rattrap can scout out and build a new mining station," replied my "boss."  
" Yessir" I answered.  
" Rattrap, come on. The boss monkey wants us to scout out a mining site,"  
" Eh sure hold on kid. Let me just get my stuff," he replied.  
We set out for Sector Blaron which was near some energon deposits.  
" So, Rattrap, what do you think of Madman?" I asked, to cut the erie silence.  
" Eh, she's a cool kid. But she needs to learn how to..." just then we heard a scream. "That can't be good" said Rattrap  


  
**Madman**  


  
I had always thought my self a good teacher. But with Nightscream losing his cool with old Waspy, I guess that proved me wrong. And that made me mad, not only at Nightscream, but at my self. And I don't take kindly to people that make me mad. This training was going to be tough on both me and Bat boy I was going to make sure of that. The hard part for me was getting caught at my own game. It was going to take the best Pred of all to take me down. The hard part for Nightscream was going to learn to believe in him self. Something that Spots had to when get got his new body, something we all had to do. But to involve Cheetor in this was wrong, but I had to use the hate Night scream had for him somehow.   
We neared the camping grounds that Nightscream had picked for us. If I had any luck we would be trapped during the night while Nightscream what doing night look out. I had to make it look like it was Cheetor's fault we got caught, and I told him this. Let's say he was not at all pleased.  


**Narico  
  
**

Rattrap and I arrived at the scene of the screaming only to see Cheetor screaming his lungs off at Madman.  
"I'll kill you, you damn dog! I swear to the Matrix I will!" exclaimed Cheetor.  
" Hey, calm down Kitty. I didn't mean nothin' by it" replied Madman, trying to save her hide.  
" DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING BY IT? You want to alter the truth so that Optimus would favor you over me!" exclaimed Cheetor.  
" Calm down you two!" I exclaimed, maximizing and holding Madman back. Rattrap did the same and grabbed Cheetor.  
"Now I'm sure we can work this out" I said trying to ease the tension in the air. "Nightscream, go bring some rocks over here I wanna talk to Cheetor." I ordered maybe a little too strictly. I don't think Nightscream wanted to argue. He quickly brought over two fairly big boulders. I put some fern leaves on each.   
"I think there are better ways to solve your problems, Cheetor." I said, slipping in to counselor mode. I mouthed to Rattrap to get Nightscream and Madman away.   
" No there aren't" replied Cheetor, reverting to beast mode and lying down on the rock.  
"Why don't you just tell her how you feel, and how you want to go through with acting around her. And to relieve your stress, I suggest that you Maximize and blast a few rocks" I said, trying to make him feel better. He maximized and walked off.   
  


**Madman  
**  


Why couldn't the hard headed cat understand my plan? I did not want to get in favor with the boss. And he knew it, or at least I thought. It was just fine that he did not want Nightscream to get back in with the Maximals. I would do that my self. But at least getting a way from him was the best thing for me.  
"Eh, okay sweetie what's up with you and Spots? Come on Streets, you can tell a a fellow streeter can't ya?" And he was right, it was one of the few codes of the streets, when a streeter asked you something you HAD to give em an answer.   
"Fine, I'll talk. It's Nightscream, I tried to explain his actions to the boss monkey but it was no use. Your the only bot in top ranks that understands us two. I tried to talk Kitty in to letting us getting caught by a Pred, but he would not by in to it."  
"Kid, there's something you're not telling me," he said  
"Yes, there is, I had to make it look like it was Cheetor's fault. Even if it wasn't his fault, Opitmus would let him off the hook." I think it might of been a good thing that Narico did not talk to me, the only thing I wanted at this point was a target, and let me tell you, small rat-like things make wonderful ones. Also staying around to talk was not my style either. It was time for a hunting trip, I wanted to run down something, and I wanted it to be fast.  
  


**Narico  
  
**

After that talk with Cheetor, I felt a little better. I went off looking for Madman, to apologize. I reverted to my vehicle mode and sped off. I was zipping along calling out for Madman, when I ran into something bony and something bug-like.  
"Oh my god... What do you want from me?" I backed up, not knowing what to do. The two shadowed figures cornered me against a rock.  
"Mmmmmmmmmm, why rodent-bot run away?" asked a familiarly annoying voice.  
" Yes, no need to flee" hissed another familiar voice  
**  
**

Madman  


It was a wonderful night for hunting, no wind, full moon. Perfect. The prey I was going to hunt tonight would cure my beast mode's need to kill and mine as well. The prey was something I had only tried to hunt once, humans. But I had failed in the end, it was for the best. A brave bot I had heard about, Dinobot had give his life to save the humans. I entered the small village of the humans, I was not there to hunt, but to find a friend. The oldest and wisest of the humans, she called her self a word I could not even try to say. I had taken her under my wing and taught her how to speak the "Animals' talk." English to you and me. I also taught her some tracking tricks which she seemed to already know. She would know where I could get caught by a Pred. If anything happened tonight, it had to be I was caught by a Pred and Nightscream believed in himself enough to help me.**  
**   


**Narico  
  
**

The two bots came close and closer to me.  
"Who-who are you?"  
"Mmmm don't you know us?" buzzed the first bot  
"I'd recognize that moronic tone anywhere, Waspinator!' I exclaimed  
" Mmm, took rat-bot longg enough" muttered Waspinator.  
"And the other one is Dinobot" I completed  
" Congratulationssss." replied Dinobot  
"What do you want?" I asked shakily.  
"Mmmm, we want to joinnn you" replied Waspinator.   
  


**Madman  
**

  
As I entered the village, the main fire was going full bast, there was something in the fire that scared me and comforted me at the same time. The human which I had taken to call Fire, for her red hair. She greeted me with all the love she had ever shown me.   
"Dog-mem, come for help?" she asked me with worry in her voice. Whenever I came to her for help she knew that I meant for my self to get hurt or close to that.  
"Yes, Fire I have. I need your help for me to get hunted by the other tribe of Animals, (Preds) " I told to her as simply as I could.   
"The Dog-mem cannot be hunted, she is to great to be pray." She looked in to my eyes like I has seen my Ma do when my Pa had taken me on shooting trips. She was really worried about me I could tell it.  
"This time Fire, I have to be, and I need your help to find where one of 'em is."   
"Little one not go! Get killed, people lose Dog-mem," she pleaded,  
"Fire, I won't get killed, I have to do this for a member of my tribe as you would for yours." She could feel what I was telling her, as the fire died down she led the way to where she had last seen a Pred.  
  
  


**Narico  
  
**

"You WHAT?" I asked the two bots incredulously.  
" What don't you undersstand?" hissed the altered Dinobot.  
"Your motive is what I don't understand" I shot back.  
" Mmmm, wee want revvvenge against Mmmegatron" replied the pepy wasp.  
" We are both sssick of being Predacons. We want to join the Maximalss" said Dinobot.  
" Apparently, you two don't know that much, or else you would have gone to the base to talk to Optimus." I said, fearing my saftey. Dinobot brought his claws close to his mouth and looked at the shine coming from the tip.  
"Don't make me have to use these," he said, probably willing to follow through with his actions.  
" Ooook then, I'll set you up with a direct vid-link back to base. Just walk with me," I said, maximizing, standing up and leading them into some tall weeds. I saw Dinobot start to cringe, like he was reliving something.   
" Thiss, this area seems oddly familiar. Like I have been here before." He bent down and picked up a crudely made tomahawk.   
  
  
  


**Madman  
**

  
I reached the open area where Fire told me I could find a Pred, it was still night, only a night hunter could get me now. That left most of the Preds out, they were scared of the night. The place was only a few hundred yards from the humans, that was something I did not like at all. I had told Fire to take her people and flee incase there was a battle. The last thing I needed was more friends killed.   
I lay in the tall grasses with my belly right against the dirt, there was no wind this night so my hunter could not smell me coming. In this game it was my decestion when and where to get caught. I laid in wait maybe 5 minuets. But then I found my prey or should I say hunter? And he saw me.  
The hunter is only as good it's prey, and this hunter must have been the best, for the Pred that was hunting me, was Dinobot. I had to lead him away from the humans then let him catch me without me getting hurt, this was going to be fun. **  
**  


**Narico  
  
**

At one point in our hike, I noticed Dinobot start to veer off to the right.  
"What are you doing?' I asked  
"There is something moving in those bushes" replied Dinobot.  
"Mmmm, dinner for Wazzzpinator?" asked the bug, who was flying over my head like he had just gotten into a bag of sugar.  
"Quiet!" snapped the living skeleton. He jumped up onto the creature and started clawing at it. I then saw something I feared. A familiar dog head looked up at me.   
  


**Madman  
**

Never in my life had I admitted that I had gotten my self in over my head, and ya know what? I still haven't. Sure I had a huge dino trying to rip my circuits out and I was wanting him to, and I need him to be ALONE and take me back to base. But was he alone? No, sure I did not mind Waspy coming along but did that large rodent have to be there?   
"Dinobot, if you are to join the Maximals then I will have to ask you not to attack your follow Maximals," Narico asked   
  
"What in the name of the Matrix are ya doing here!" I yelled at him, my plan maybe messed up. I think he wanted me to say thanks for saving my life, he was not going to get it. That's when I caught on,  
"He wants to do what?" I asked get up from the dirt as the slick robot backed a way from me.   
  


**Narico**  
  


"He wants to join the Maximals" I replied  
"Yezz, join Maximalzzz so that Wazzpinator and Doggy-bot be together forevvverr." said Waspinator. Madman just screamed in response. Waspinator then tranformed and shot me into the nearest tree. The last that I saw was Dinobot and Waspinator dragging Madman back to their, I mean the Predacon's base. I tried to form words, but my voice circuits were fried.  
  


**Madman  
**

  
Well, maybe my plan was going to work out. And all it involved was being married to Waspy. Ewwwwww, okay now this time if Nightscream did not recuse me I was going to shoot my own spark out.   
"Let me go ya creeps, or I'll blast ya all the back to Cybertron!" I yelled, they seem not to hear me.   
"Thizzz will beee an a wonderful gift for Magatron" the bug hissed.  
To make it like I wanted to get a way I kicked and yelled, but since I am to good of a shot I did not try to slag then with my guns, pity, it would have been fun.   
"Yesss, Magatron shell be very pleased with hisss gift," agreed lizard face.   
I had once heard a story told by Fire of how the first Dinobot had saved her people and how they would always owe him a life debt. But I was not dealing with him I was dealing something far darker and meaner then him. They took me back to their base and showed me off to their boss, where I told him what I thought of him, and he told about the same. I was then put in a cage.Oh goody a cage. I only hoped that Narico could tell a story with out using his mouth, let's hope he's one heck of a dancer.   
  


**Narico  
  
**

I was in my house back on Cybertron. I was relaxing on the couch with a bag of chips watching the news. My mom and dad were out at work, and I was home alone.  
__"We have just received word that the exploration ship _The Axalon_ has been shot down by a Decepticon spaceship. We don't know what has happened to the four transformers inside, but we hope for the best," said the news anchor.  
"Huh? Uncle was on that ship! I have to go see if he's all right" I said as a rushed outside. When I got outside, I heard the flapping of wings.   
  


**Madman  
**

Time seemed to mover even slower then Narico. I thought over what I had done and how I was going to get SO chewed out about it when and IF I was going to get rescued. But it was for a friend, and those don't come around that often. Besides it wasn't like I had not been yelled at before by Optimus. I think whenever I was sent out of the base, the bots took bets with Rattrap to see when I would get my self in trouble and how long Optimus's talk with me would last. Some times I wish I could lay a bet down on my self.   
I found my self thinking about all that has happened on Earth, while I was waiting for my night in shining armor to show up. I had made friends, maybe even a family. I had won a lot of battles, and also lost some of 'em. But all in all my life here has not been so hard, I mean compared to what it was like on the streets. I had just started to get used to my comfy little cage when IT came in to the dudgeon. "Oh this should be fun, a talk with Waspy," I whisper to my self.   
"Mmmmm Wazzpinator come to talk to purdy bot, yezzzz."  
"If I've told ya once I've told ya one thousand times bug, I DON'T LIKE YA!!!" Maybe this time he was going to get the message.   
"Mmmm, purdy bot not want to talk to Wazzzpinator?"   
"Why me?" I asked my self. The guys better get here soon or they are going to show up and find the Pred base with a FEW bullet holes in it.   
  


**Narico  
  
**

"Huh?" I asked no one. "Uncle?" My mind was racing from my dream, what did it all mean? I had to get back to base, warn the others. I transformed back to hot rod, and roared into the base, only to find Rattrap and Silverbolt playing Go Fish.  
"Got any threes, citizen?" asked the Fuzor.  
"Eh, go fish." replied the rat.  
"What's wrong, Narico?" asked Rhinox from his computer.  
" I. Madman.Nightscream. Waspinator. Dinobot. Join Maximals" I gasped.  
" What is wrong with him?" asked Blackarachnia.  
"Ahh. Madman went out to train Nightscream. Rattrap and I went out to search for a new mining area. Rattrap left after we found Madman and Nightscream's camp. Dinobot and Waspinator came up to me and asked me if they could join the Maximals" I said  
"WHAT?" exclaimed Optimus.  
"May I finish? Anyway, I led them into a clearing where they could contact you guys, Waspinator shot me. I dreamt about my past. Something about my Uncle. When I woke up I had to run to the base to tell you. For all I know, Cheetor is still out shooting rocks" I looked over to the corner, "Oh hey Cheetor"  
"Took you long enough." muttered Blackarachnia.  
" What happened to her?" asked Optimus.  
" Last I saw, someone was dragging her away" I answered.  
" Silverbolt, get in the air. Blackarachnia, take the ground. Everone else, follow me." spat out Optimus.  
" Wait, something tells me that we should only keep an eye on her" I said  
"And how might we do that?" asked the boss monkey/jet. I walked over to Rhinox's station and whispered something in his ear. "Rhinox will handle it" I said as I headed toward the R chamber. The last I heard before the healing gas entered my nostrils was Rhinox explaining that we could see her and communicate with her through her com-link.   
  


**Madman  
**

After I had gotten ride of Waspy I transformed and worked on a little project I was to test, hacking into Pred computers. While doing this I got a call on my com-link.   
"This is Maximal base to Madman, come in Madman."   
"Howdy, what can I do ya for?" I asked pleased as ever to hear some friendly voices.  
"Are you okay?" asked Rhinox, good old Rhinox always thinking of my safety.  
"Yeah I'm fine, but I want to know when ya'll going to come and get me?"  
"We're not, Optimus has given orders for you to get your self out of this mess," he said then the com-link was quiet.  
"So they want me to get my self out? Fine but I can't!" I yelled at the walls, I would gladly of shot up the whole base, but I had to have some one else show me they could fight. "Wait! If they could use my com-link to get in then why can't I use my com-link to get out? This might not lead to some shooting after all.  
"Madman to Nightscream, Madman to Nightscream," I repeated over and over again hoping that he had not gone that far a way.  
"Madman? Where are you? I've been looking high and low for you."  
" I only have one thing to say to ya, HELP!!!! I am in the Pred base and I need ya to get me out."  
" Why me? I can't fight, call the base," he said in a down voice.  
"No, listen here kid, the base told me they WON'T help me. YOU'RE my only hope. Just believe in your self Bat boy, believe." I let my com-link go quiet after that. It might of alarmed the Preds and they would be here any moment.  
  


**Narico  
  
**

" You won't send anyone over there?" I yelled. "What is wrong with you?"  
"I have a feeling all will work out" replied Optimus, not answering my question at all. I stormed off to my chambers, worried about my friend. I blasted my radio, and slumped onto my bed. A few minutes later, I heard Rhinox come knocking on my door.  
"What do you want?" I snapped.  
"Can I come in first?" asked Rhinox. "Optimus sent me in to calm you down. I know he didn't really give you a direct answer, we've all gotten that. He can be very vague at times. You get used to it. I know you have something else on your mind. Spit it out" he said.  
"It's. It's my Uncle," I admitted, "He joined the Autobot army a while ago, and I haven't heard anything about him since. I don't know whether he died or not."  
"Do you remember your Uncle's name?" asked Rhinox.  
" I think it was First Aid. He was a medic, I know that for sure." I said. Rhinox was literally shaking.  
"That, that was my name, back on Cybertron," he replied  
  
  


**Madman  
**

Okay, NOW I was getting bored. I hoped Bat boy would show up soon, I was getting tired of paying helpless little miss. Just as I was about to shoot my way out of the hanging cage, I heard this's horrible noise. The door to the dunge open, I was expecting to see Waspy again come to ask my hand in marriage, and this time I was going to let him have it, a few of my bullets that is. But instead a transformed Nightscream walked through the door.  
"My hero, come to save me."  
"You're still a live? When your com-link went dead I thought for sure they had gotten you," he said in a very worried voice.  
"Me? Dead? Kid you have a lot to learn about me, I am the roughest, and toughest bot on this palent, and ya better know it. Now if you don't mind would you let me out!" I yelled, I do not like to be in cages that's why I speed a lot of my time out side in my beast mode.  
He let me out and we left the base. I was so glad to get out of there, I went beast mode and ran all the way back to the base. I did not ask him what happened when he got to the Predacon base, I figured that he would tell everyone else when we got back to the base. But I was proud of him, taking on the whole Pred base by him self just to save a friend.   
  


**Narico  
  
**

" Uncle? Is it really you?" I asked grabbing Rhinox's face.  
" I gues so, Narico." Rhinox's eyes flashed, and I saw the familiar face that I had seen over my years on Cybertron "It's great to see you, nephew" replied the voice of Uncle Aid, as I called him. Rhinox's voice then took over. " I hear something going on outside, let's go" he said and I maximized and walked off. We walked into the control room to see Nigthscream being paraded down the hallway followed by the rest of the Maximals.   
" What'd I miss this time?" I asked Silverbolt.  
"The brave citizen rescued Madman all by himself!" replied the bird/dog.  
" Does this mean I can leave the base now?" asked the bat, hopeful.  
"Not only that, but you can get an upgrade" replied Optimus.  
"An upgrade? To what?" asked the bat.  
"Transmetal 2" replied Blackarachnia," we still have the driver, so we'll give you a new look." Nightscream flew into the machine and came out the happiest bot I've ever seen.  



End file.
